We Will Rise From The Ashes Stronger
by LaneFlames
Summary: Betrayal. No one knew it better than Ash Ketchum, and from that pain, he became something legendary. Isolated for eight years, his world is changed dramatically once again as he is invited to try his chance at becoming an official Pokemon Master and champion. With that, however, he learns that there are new dangers, while also confronting old enemies.
1. Opening Reflection

**Hello! My name is LaneFlames and this is the beginning of my first ever Fanfic! For the longest time now, I've always had a desire to write several different stories, and some I have stored away, just waiting to be brought onto the site, while others I only have the idea for! I'm very excited to finally start one and I'm looking towards to how it all plays out! Your constructive criticism, advice, and tips are always welcome and I appreciate them greatly!**

 **I know that this story idea isn't the first of its kind, as there are tons of stories about Ash being betrayed. However, I have read many different versions and had my own ideas that I decided to use as inspiration to write my own! There may be some ideas or scenes that seem similar to what others have done, those of which are my own adaptations.  
**

 **I do hope you enjoy so far!**

 **Note: Pokemon and everything related to it is not my property. Nintendo, I love you; thank you for not suing me.**

* * *

Sitting alone at the top of the world was a young man. He sat silently and focused on his own separate world, even with the raging snowstorm occurring all around him, threatening to swallow him into the night. But it didn't scare him; at this point in his life, nothing scared him, not even the concept of fear itself. He had risked his own life saving the world numerous times, so why should he be afraid of anything now?

If once could see his features, they would be amazed and in shock at his appearance. Dark, raven hair stuck out in all directions of his head, his hazel eyes that were once filled with love and cheerfulness now replaced with bitter truth of reality and a spark dying that kept failing to ignite. Considering the harsh and frigid temperatures Mount Silver was known to possess, it would seem impossible to have color in someone's skin, but the man had neat tanned skin from his travels, having visited exotic places and different regions all over the world.

This man was named Ash Ketchum, a Pokemon Trainer missing for nearly eight years now and known to few as the Chosen One. Hailing from Pallet Town in the Kanto Region, he had accomplished tasks that some people could only dream about. Since he turned ten, the young man had competed in almost every single League, encountered many different Legendary Pokemon, caught and trained an impressive team of Pokemon he saw as family, saved the world more times than he could count, and helped out thousands of people on his adventures. Surprisingly enough, despite all of these wonderful tasks and moments of vigor and heroism under his belt, Ash wasn't a Pokemon Master. Yes, he had never won a single League-minus the Orange Islands, but that was more of a _de facto_ League. Yes, he had lost plenty of times to different Trainers, failed, and made careless mistakes. Yes, he was seen as a nuisance and foolish to some. But with every challenge along the way, he had his friends to back him up under any circumstance.

Until eight years ago, when the man felt the pain of being stabbed in the back by those he loved, tearing his heart into pieces.

Even with the burden he carried on his back, Ash was still alive and fighting. Well, he was to a certain extent. Time has a funny way of playing tricks on people as he knew from his experiences; pain still existed, thriving in certain forms.

Memories were being re-winded in his head from some of those instances, as he frowned upwards at the night sky, stars blinking here and there when not blocked by the raging snow. He could feel his gloved fists tremble with rage at a few faces, his body heating up and threatening to act violently. Ash wanted to scream at the world and Arceus for the cruelties he had endured, only to bite back his tongue and sigh, refusing to allow rage to win over calmness. He exhaled, a small cloud of his breath visible from the coldness of the mountain's environment, as he pushed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. The t-shirt he had on exhibited quite a few snowflakes, but he wasn't cold-rather, he was just trying to contain some of the emotions he still had.

" _Ash, you really should not be pushing yourself like this. This will tear you apart both physically and mentally,_ " a familiar voice said inside of his head.

The twenty-four-year-old snorted sarcastically at the voice before chuckling lightly to himself. Usually, Pikachu, Greninja, Latias, Zoroark, Charizard, or Sceptile would attempt to make him stop his 'meditation' and get him inside one of the natural hot springs located inside the interior of Mount Silver or to the cabin he had built for himself. Ash and the individuals that still stayed with him knew he needed to keep pushing himself, but sometimes it could be a bit overloaded. "I know I shouldn't be. I'm just... I'm just struggling with some feelings that I have. And perhaps always will," he muttered out loud to the night, knowing he could be heard.

Not amused with his answer, the voice replied sharply, " _I don't blame you. Your entire world was relentlessly torn away from you, leaving you vulnerable and weaker than you have ever been in your life. Even if eight years have passed by, you are still as human as the day you were born. Arceus knows how even I struggle with these problems at times, understanding the concepts of emotion and pain._ " The voice cut off, almost humming in Ash's mind. He knew that it was waiting for the appropriate choice of words that would satisfy it.

He sighed, not continuing the conversation and deciding to rather return his focus back on watching the winds swirl around, snowflakes hitting the ground. With the time that had passed, Ash's character had developed new changes, but some specific characteristics remained an essential part of who he was. Stubbornness, undying bravery, and a strong sense of justice were still tremendous aspects of his identity. The empathy he had for other people, sadly, had died on the same day he recognized his new goals.

There was one person that kept driving him insane with urges to escape his isolation and to go find them, to tell them every bit of pain he was feeling, seriously certain that they would comfort him and accept him for the person he was. That, however, meant that Ash would have to face some of the challenges and risks that came from disappearing from the world and knowing that those who betrayed him probably still hated him. During the eight years, he had gone down the mountain several times, resulting in no contact with them at all, but also with some unexpected consequences that the world never expected would occur.

Ash smiled at some of the recent memories, ones that offered some relief, albeit temporary. It was tiring to live this lifestyle at specific moments, but he had to in order to emotionally support himself and learn to become stronger than ever before. That smile quickly faded away, and the regular, broken expression faded back onto his face.

 **FLASHBACK**

 _The thick crowds of people were shocked and astonished at the event they had just witnessed. Cynthia, the powerful and seemingly unstoppable Champion of Sinnoh, had been defeated mercilessly by a challenger. The fact that Cynthia was defeated in battle was enough to cause an uproar, but her opponent caused most of the outrage. For one thing, he had knocked out the blonde's entire team with only one Pokemon. The other factor was that this man could not be identified by the League, had no name, and never spoke a single word at all. If anything, he had came out of nowhere with no record and within minutes, the battle ended._

 _She, like the masses watching the match, could not fathom the fact that a single Pokemon wiped out her entire team. Milotic was sent in first. Then Roserade. Next, her Spiritomb failed to trap it. Lucario barely made any dents. Togekiss didn't last for a minute. Finally, Cynthia's Garchomp, known for being one of the most powerful of it's kind, having roared onto the field with eyes of deadly and eager bloodthirstiness, had been slammed into the battlefield face first, fainting. All because of one extremely powerful Infernape, blazing with energy that made the other Elite Four flinch._

 _It wasn't just Cynthia that had been crushed; Aaron, Bertha, Lucian, and Flint all had their teams destroyed with just one Pokemon, but in each match, it was a different creature. The mysterious stranger's Decidueye, Krookodile, Staraptor, and Crawdaunt finished their battles with grace and victory, no mercy given to their opponents._

 _Having the Elite Four taken down with one Pokemon per battle wasn't what made the headlines, regardless of how impressive and impossible that could be. What did take the cake was the lack of details anyone had on who the unknown stranger was. No one knew him, he kept his face covered with the collar of his dark black jacket and red hat, and most importantly, he didn't speak at all. No, even when this man was battling, his Pokemon had acted in a manner as if a command was shouted, causing much debate about the whole ordeal._

 _Little did the world know, this was only the beginning of something insane._

 _The next week after the showdown in Sinnoh, the Indigo League began. The same man appeared there again, taking down opponent after opponent with no mercy. The Elite Four of Kanto? Defeated, with Lance's Dragonite humiliated with a Charizard. Months passed by, Hoenn and Alola begun their respected Leagues each, with both Elite Fours unable to stop the powerful man, Steven's Metagross finished with a Sceptile and the newly crowned Alolan Champion's Lunala beaten by an Incineroar. Johto was not difficult whatsoever. The Orange Islands were a joke to him. Orre's League felt very concerned with his Espeon. He had trampled through Unova with an empty soul, his Samurott speaking for him as it knocked out Alder's Volcarona._

 _Within this time span, roughly a year had passed. Many suspected that naturally, the mysterious figure would come to Kalos; after all, he did defeat all the other Regions, so why should he stop now?_

 _He delivered his skills spectacularly in the Region, slicing through the competition like a knife cuts through butter. The Elite Four of Kalos were in a panic once they discovered he was competing in the tournament, swiftly preparing to build up their teams to the maximum in one final attempt to see if they could declare victory over the unbeatable stranger._

 _They failed miserably. Nothing appeared to resemble even a small challenge to his abilities, not even the Mega Evolutions trained for years for a scenario just like this one. In the end, they had fallen and proved to be unsuccessful in their objective of stopping his team. Diantha's Mega Gardevoir, a Pokemon known for it's majestic strength, fell victim to his Greninja, sweeping the floor. While they could not beat him, hey were able to get the man to speak one time:_

 _"You called me weak and a failure before today. I was killed by you, and in return, I reincarnated into a person who can truly wield power. I endured pain and hell that no human or Pokemon should suffer from, and with the lessons learned in my journey, I used them to become the greatest Pokemon Master in the world. Understand that I gave you everything and you stripped my achievements and ousted me as a bastard. Understand that you gave me no mercy, so I shall give you NONE."_

 **FLASHBACK** **OVER**

The world often wondered where or who that man was, and they never got far, as the League officials themselves had no clue on his identity. He knew who he is and what he is supposed to do. The purpose of his life was solely to avenge himself and declare nothing but supreme victory over his enemies. Of all the titles in the world, the one that shined brightly for him was his rightful seat at the throne as a Pokemon Master. After all was done at the Leagues, the unknown challenger had disappeared off the radar, unable to be tracked down or discovered by anybody since the Kalos League came to a close.

Shockingly enough, for somebody as powerful as Ash Ketchum could be, his conscious persistently had obstacles when it came to healing his mind from the pain. He had done things nobody else could come close to claiming could do. Yet, the idea of finding his peace had not been achieved so far. The thought of being so helpless in a situation like the one he presently was in now worried him with the task of finding alternative routes to walk down in life.

And while he did discover more about himself and searched for answers to questions that could calm him and learn how to cope and understand life better, there were still tons of occasions where Ash needed a break or had to face the truth in the disappointing and loathing way he had to. Eight years had passed on by and most of his important questions were not answered and his challenges not yet reached, sometimes putting him in despair. The anger, rage, depression, and fear that slowly came here and there thankfully could be combated, and much more efficiently over time, as he learned how to teach himself the requirements necessary. Where he was eight years ago, he could have died, had it not been for his willpower and his Pokemon, who continued to assist him everyday in their own unique ways, hoping they could one day see their Trainer and friend finally be happy and free of suffering.

Glancing down the slope of the mountains surrounding the horizon, Ash picked himself up and watched the snow drift around him, the storm beginning to die down. He ran a hand through his hair, content and done with his thinking for the night. He just wished for something that could successfully help him relieve some stress and feel excited, which is why he headed towards the direction opposite of the way he was facing earlier.

For those that have done their research on the mountains of Kanto and Johto, they would have learned that no one lived near the peaks up north. However, the raven-haired hero and his Pokemon called a certain wide-spaced plateau and a few channels of tunnels and caves their home. Every single area served its own purpose and had their own unique names after something Ash had thought would be appropriate to title. The young man would not have preferably chosen to live here for himself, but this was the most secluded and safest place for him to remain for now.

The peak he currently stood on was connected to the monstrous and ominous Mount Silver, to which there was a natural platform that had several layers connected to it. So, while he was making his way back, plenty of space could be provided to glance around the cold, icy environment.

 _Cold_ could be used in several different definitions and examples in his life; the air and the atmosphere of the mountains were physically cold. Cold were the hearts of the damned bastards who had abandoned him and left him to die alone. Cold was the way his usually warm eyes saw the world around him, despite a few moments of brief joy or companionship from his Pokemon. In Ash's eyes, his life was very bitter.

Why shouldn't it be for him? For fuck's sake, he had wasted six-edging near seven-years of his life traveling with individuals who rejected him in the matter of seconds. He felt foolish and naive for believing that he trusted all of them and considered them friends.

Moving along the way, he saw the shimmering light of a lantern swaying over what he internally measured as at least a couple of hundred yards away. That was the cabin that he currently called his home. People would be amazed if they were informed that together with his team, they had finished the wooden structure in less than three days of hard work and determination, building a masterpiece of architecture. Modestly, Ash called the building a cabin, but it could be compared to a mansion to some; it was a two-floored wooden structure with thirteen different rooms, running water and plumbing, electricity, and a crazily good internet connection. There were nine rooms on the bottom floor and four on the second level, and even with the area and perimeter of it, the man could feel as if it was crowded at times, which it could be as it was where most of his possessions and supplies were stored.

This was where Ash was heading off to, preparing to obtain something inside and inspect it. He required this item if he wanted to do the exercise he hoped to accomplish and complete, using it as a distraction from his thoughts. Suddenly, as he was halfway across the path from getting into the house, his eyes widened at the sight of a glowing Aura Sphere rushing towards him, only to explode right at his exact position.

* * *

 **And that wraps up Chapter 1! Now, I wanna make a note about future chapters and the** **progression** **of this story. While I'm writing this mostly for fun and to have my own piece of fanfiction, I am also trying extremely hard to be correct in grammar and details. I tend to have a good record of that, so hopefully it'll all come out fine. But, along the way, I will come back to edit previous chapters for two reasons: 1) to fix any mistakes I have made and 2) to add details I felt I lacked upon or things I just want to add. That being said, my edits will not affect the main course of the story. Also, some of the canon is changed in here and along with that, chapter length will vary here to there. For the most part, I'm looking at each chapter having at least 3K words, the maximum being 10K if that ever does happen. Also, updating this story will be random and could take anywhere from a few hours to a week, as my schedule is weird. But, I do hope you stick around for it all! Thank you all again!**


	2. Revelations and Explorations

**Hello! I'm LaneFlames and I'm back with another chapter for We Will Rise From The Ashes Stronger! This chapter is going to be quite longer than the first one, as I really try to go into detail on a few things. The story does progress, don't worry; the format involves a lot of memories and the more you read, the more you discover, as well as new events that do obviously occur. I do hope you enjoy!**

 **Note: I do not own Pokemon or any franchise/property listed. Thank you for not suing me, Nintendo.**

* * *

Ash raised a brow as a cloud of dust and ice surrounded him, blinding his vision and preventing anything from seeing him. Thankfully, he saw the attack coming in and within the span of seconds, he had sidestepped it, unharmed with both of his eyes closed. He concentrated on silence and nothing, feeling his blood flowing through his body, almost as if he was in a state of zen. Then, in his mind, an outline of a blue figure standing on two legs popped up, and the young man grinned cockily, sliding his feet into the icy crater and jumping up.

Suddenly, his body leaped upwards to a distance that should not have been possible. Both of his hazel eyes were opened now and Ash's grin only increased as a familiar sensation of power and magnificence took over his body. His irises shined lightly as the moon beamed downwards, when blue lightning flashed over them, now filling and mixing with the hazel. The man could feel his body feel looser and swifter, but much more stronger and bulkier as well, but there was no physical changes. Yes, he had activated his Aura abilities, something he had been working on for a long time now. Soaring through the air, Ash landed as fast as he had sprung up, snow crunching under his sneakers when he landed, the blue flames in his eyes now illuminating into faint patterns of turquoise waves across his body.

With pure silence, the young man's head bowed down, his expressions invisible to the creature that was only a few feet away from him. For a brief moment, the blizzard seemed to not exist and muted by the intensity of the situation, power surging throughout Ash's mind, heart, and soul. Glancing down to the ground, Ash smirked to himself, looking up slowly at the creature. The other individual was almost his height, at least two or three inches shorter than the human. Most of its body was blue or black and there were metal spikes on its chest and hands. Its head had two pointy ears with four dark appendages hanging down from the back of it. Standing on its toes instead of the entire foot, the jackal-like creature was a Lucario, powerful and fierce. Smirking once more, Ash stared into the Pokemon's eyes while simultaneously cracking his warm knuckles, signalling that he meant business.

* * *

Somewhere, on a tropical island located hundreds of miles off the coast of Hoenn, a man wearing a stereotypical Hawaiian shirt and brown khaki shorts had just finished consuming a very fruity, alcoholic drink. He let out a sigh, giving the empty cup a sad look and wished that he might have more, knowing full well he couldn't as he had to stay sober tonight and finish up his work, some of which was desperately needed to get done. A lot of important people had been sending him emails and accounts about what resources were required to wrap up a project before a certain deadline occurred. The man normally was very relaxed, but a bit of nervousness had begun creeping into his mind about the whole ordeal. This was not going to be something he could just ignore until the significance started creeping up onto others.

While he typed rapidly on his laptop, the light reflected off his dark black shades and someone close up might have seen his eyes behind the lenses darting all over the place. Not that anybody really would, though; there were only sixteen people in this small outdoors bar, all of them occupied with conversations or drinking and watching Basculin and Dewpider bounce out of the water, their migrant seasons starting for this year. Certain words had struck out and caught his attention during the task, such as 'stranger', 'missing', 'Silver', 'Champion', and 'tournament', as email after email popped up from different addresses.

This was a stressful moment for the middle-aged man, as he already had plenty on his plate from managing a group of powerful Pokemon Masters in the facility he owned to sending and receiving information about the mysterious stranger from three years ago. No time for vacation could be spared and it drove him absolutely nuts. Rubbing his forehead in slight frustration, he groaned and sent another lengthy message to somebody.

Not caring too much about the fellow bar-goers around him, there was another man watching him with a bit of curiosity burning inside of his obsidian black eyes, staring occasionally when he wasn't drinking his own drink or talking to a woman with long black hair next to him. He wore almost all green, with the collar of his top having some red cloth on the outside, along with a small bag that was attached to the belt around his waist. The bag contained seven Poke Balls, his proudest possessions besides the wife who remained at home in Rinshin Town in Hoenn.

"Excuse me for a moment," he coughed, standing up and excusing himself from the table he sat at, making a few heads turn his way. Arceus, he was aware that even though he was far from the average elderly age, he was getting slightly older, especially now that he was fifty-seven. People lived up to their two hundred's these days, some to nearly three hundred. He ran a hand through his brownish locks as he walked over to the bar, approaching the man on his computer and sliding into the seat next to him, ignoring the blaring music that sounded vaguely like a rapper he hated more than anything.

Gently clapping the other man on the back, the one dressed in green rolled his eyes when he yelped, nearly spilling a half-empty glass of whiskey next to him. "I'm assuming everything is going alright, Scott. We are only about a few weeks away from the event and the Leagues are just about to announce this tournament. Surely everything is completed?"

The man named Scott, fixing his shades, sighed a bit and relaxed, regaining his composure and frowned lightly. "Y-Yeah, Brandon. Look, we have most of the letters prepared to be sent out within the next week or so and the stadiums are being prepared, along with final checks to make sure that nothing goes out of order," he sighed, glancing at the screen before looking at the Frontier Brain, tired and slightly on the edge. "The Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, Alola, and the Orange Islands Leagues, along with the representations from Orre, the Decolore Islands, Fiore, Oblivia, Almia, and the Sevii Islands have all been informed and soon will be releasing the letters. New Island is being prepared to the finest extent." Scott noticed the look on Brandon's face and realized he wasn't believing it all. "...You know the problem I have."

"Damned straight I do. Three years have passed, Scott, and we have not discovered anything about the man! We don't know who he is, where he lives, not even his name, other than the media calling him Red Kaiser. I'm not blaming you, but this is getting ridiculous, unless we try Mount Silver like the Pokemon League Council proposed," Brandon said, folding his arms across his chest and quietly telling the bartender that he was not going to have another beer. The whole situation was a mess, and no one could be blamed but the stranger. That, and the only thing the Pyramid King wanted was to discover the whole story about the dissappearance of Ash Ketchum.

Scott nodded gently, typing up a small note on the laptop. "Lance, Cynthia, and Diantha have especially been pressuring me into trying to send a letter to the stranger. There's belief that he was the one who also helped disband all of those criminal organizations and helped out the Rangers. This guy is literally a living legend, Brandon," he muttered, pulling out a handkerchief and wiping his forehead. "It's just a shame that we don't know where the kid is. Ash was an amazing Trainer. It's just horrible that he was wrongly accused and-" He didn't finish his sentence, as Brandon put a gloved hand over his mouth, sealing his lips from speaking.

" _She_ is here, Scott."

Widening his eyes, the now quiet owner of the Battle Frontier nodded, shocked but understanding, and gulped down a gasp of air. "Arceus, that was my bad. Look, Brandon, I don't want to make you feel stressed with this, but don't worry about anything. I got this under control."

"I do hope so, Scott. I do hope so." Brandon chuckled, patting Scott on the back once more, and left him to manage the task at hand, returning back to the table he previously sat at. Scott couldn't help but smile to himself, somewhat satisfied at the theory he had been working on and the conclusion that might be true.

* * *

Panting and covered in sweat, Ash dodged another Aura-powered kick from the Lucario, performing a quick cartwheel to not get hit. The two had been going at it for nearly forty minutes and neither side was giving an inch. Craters were riddling the ground and both sides had exchanged hundreds of attacks and counters, shaking the ground and snow on Mount Silver. Regardless though, the male human had the upper hand the entire time, grasping the ability to know fully well when and how to perform a certain technique. "ENOUGH!" Slowly forcing himself away, he held out his hands and made a few circles with his movements and then reached into the night sky, before slamming his hands downwards, blue Aura shining fiercely as the Lucario watched with wide eyes. It wasn't long, and spheres that shone brightly, made of pure Aura, started dashing from the sky, crashing into the Pokemon and the area around it. Using the moment to his advantage, Ash dashed at the jackal-like creature with no hesitation, forming an Aura sword and lunging forwards, stopping himself just as the weapon edged near its neck.

"And that, Lucario, is why you should always have a defense ready," the raven-haired man sighed, the sword disappearing into the air, as if nothing was there to begin with. Ash helped the Pokemon get up, and the Aura surrounding the two of them began to fade away as calmness was restored. "You're getting better at taking me by surprise, but you still have quite a bit of training if you want to reach my level." Wiping the sweat off his palms and onto his jeans, he chuckled, stretching his back out.

Lucario nodded his head, taking a small breath of cold air and listening to what the young man just said. " _Yes, Master. I only hope that I am able to fulfill your requests when it comes to sudden and intense Aura strategies."_

The Pokemon had communicated to Ash telepathically, but he did understand when the Trainer spoke out loud. Running an annoyed hand through his hair, Ash sighed yet again as he glanced at his sparring partner, shaking his head slightly. "Lucario, how many times do I have to tell you that I don't want to be called 'Master'?

" _The exact number is lost to me, but I'm certain it's near the thousands."_

"So exactly why do you continue to do it?"

" _Because you are my teacher and friend, Master, both on the battlefield and in Aura,_ " he said.

Muttering lightly to himself, Ash knew he wasn't going to get Lucario to stop calling him that, but at least they saw eye to eye when it came to friendship. Aura became a much bigger part of his life after he secluded himself on Mount Silver; overtime, his training had shown greater results and he finally could use and shift Aura to his own will. When he remained on the mountain for the first three years, he decided to find answers without revealing himself, heading off to Rota to train. There, with the help of Queen Ilene and Riley, a Trainer he thought he would never see again, Ash gained all the resources needed to become an Aura Guardian. The memory made the young man smile a bit; the training had made him much stronger, able to communicate with his Pokemon, and perform tasks that unintentionally helped people when he rarely left the mountains.

"Alright, let's head inside, Lucario. I need to get a few things and head down into the chasm."

 _"As you wish, Master."_

Silently, the man walked with his Aura Pokemon up the wooden stairs, onto the porch, and into the house he had made for himself.

* * *

Opening the door and walking into the cabin, Ash almost got finished with taking off his shoes when a small, yellow creature assaulted him, jumping onto his shoulders and nuzzling its cheeks. With a cry of "Pika," the creature hopped off and stood on the floor on two legs, smiling upwards at the human. A yellow body, with a lightning-bolt shaped tail, two pointy ears with black tips, and red sacks of electricity on its cheeks, Pikachu was easily one of Ash's greatest Pokemon and hands-down his best friend in the entire damned world. They had been through thick and thin, saving the world several times, battling countless Pokemon, and have been together on a journey for nearly fourteen years at this point, with neither of them ever thinking about giving up.

"Hey, Pikachu," Ash smiled lightly, closing the door behind him. The heater was currently on, and waves of warmer temperatures hit his skin. To the right of him was the living room, filled with basic furniture and some photos hanging on the walls, and in front of him was the kitchen, with several refrigerators storing tons of food in them. The living space cornered off to create a hallway, with a staircase at the end of it. Covering almost every inch of the floor was a warm, cozy green carpet.

" _I assume your training went well today?"_ Unlike Lucario's voice or the unnamed one that spoke to him earlier, Pikachu's voice mostly sounded cheerful and light. One of the skills that came with the ability of mastering Aura was that Ash now could speak to his Pokemon telepathically and understand their languages.

Ash scratched his neck, rolling his eyes at the Electric-Type's question. "All I did was more thinking about the past. Nothing too special came out of this one, but hopefully I can tap into some unknown segment of power or come up with more answers." Pikachu followed him, greeting Lucario-who remained by the door-walking by his side as he went through the hallway.

Pikachu knew Ash greater than any of the others, so he was able to have personal and deep discussions with his human friend. Still, the yellow mouse had seen Ash change from a happy young man to a more colder, isolated person, shattered by the terrors of past events. He would remember nights during the first year of being on Mount Silver where Ash barely could handle the slamming winds and snow, but would sit outside, nearly dying a few times from hypothermia or starvation. It was expected, in some ways, but as time went on, the methods used changed sometimes. " _Kinda expected that answer, to be honest. Um, I did fancy myself to a few bottles of ketchup, so please don't get too mad with me,"_ he sheepishly replied, laughing a bit.

"Of course you did. I still don't understand why you love that stuff so much," Ash said, pausing briefly before the stairway and glancing over a small table. There, a glass case rested on a stand, displaying Badges from all the Regions they had gone through together.

Stepping back to get a better view at the table above, Pikachu followed his eyes to where he was looking at, stopping at the Battle Frontier Symbols he had won. " _Those were good times, Ash. Man, I still can't get over the fact that Charizard defeated an Articuno and that we took down Brandon together!"_

Ash froze lightly at the words 'good times', not speaking for a few seconds. Yes, those were really fucking awesome times, being on the road with friends and having an innocent childhood, nothing but fun, even when he was saving the world from destruction. "...You're right. The Battle Frontier is probably my greatest accomplishment, Pikachu." Not wanting to dwell any longer, Ash walked up the staircase to the second floor, going through another hallway. Passing by several rooms, he found the small room he stored a few things at, going in. Seeing a small golden ball sitting in the middle of the floor, Ash picked it up and closed the door behind him.

Noticing that he was still dripping in sweat and dirt from his combat with Lucario, he decided to take a bath before he went to sleep, not at all wanting to ruin his covers when he eventually settled down. Usually, he would take a shower with the plumbing system he had set up in the cabin, but tonight, his left shoulder was killing him with throbbing aches of pain. So, what Ash wanted more than anything was to be able to lay down and take a bath. Quickly heading into the room next to the one previous, he grabbed a towel out of the bathroom with a change of clothes. "You ready?" He asked, glancing down at his friend.

" _Onward to the chasm!"_ Pikachu cried, his voice full of joy and a humorous tone. Ash just couldn't resist chuckling.

* * *

Ash exited the cabin with Pikachu on his shoulder and Lucario walking next to him. The night became much calmer with the lack of a blizzard, and while it was still cold, it was bearable for the Trainer. He had gotten very used to Mount Silver in eight years, able to sit in below-zero temperatures with only shorts and a t-shirt.

Heading down a stone path, the trio walked along, not really talking to each other as they were lead close to a cliff. The path headed down a small hill, not at all slippery or steep, and it lead on a it more until curving to the left, revealing a huge opening into the mountain. Inside the small entrance, the ceiling was only about seven feet tall and did not have much shoulder room. The minute Ash stepped into the cave system, a slight echo of voices could be heard by his ears, inaudible at first but slowly turning louder when he began walking. As the two Pokemon and their Trainer headed on through, they climbed down stairs carved out of stone, crafted by his hands.

Light could be seen dimly further into the path, and the voices continued becoming louder. Ash kept on walking and found himself in a giant opening, filled with tons of different landscapes and the ceiling carved to resemble a dome. It was a huge chasm that offered plenty of space with battlefields on the ground, but what was even more amazing was the large number of Pokemon residing here.

Seven out of the nine fields were currently occupied by different Pokemon. On the one closest to Ash, a Primeape was taunting a Froslass, getting a Shadow Ball thrown at it as a consequence. The other field had a Decidueye and a Toucannon exchanging Leaf Blades and Drill Pecks, neither appearing to give an inch to their opponent. Next to that, a Mantine dodged attacks originating from a towering Goodra, while the one field adjacent to that had a Muk launching Sludge Bombs directed at a very swift Swellow, zooming up and down through the air. Ash's eyes glanced to see a Seismitoad wrestle with a Torkoal, scrunching up its body in an attempt to view the close-eyed Pokemon through the smoke. A Noivern was sending screeches and warnings against an attacking Luxray under it, with the final field remaining a mixed mess of ice and rocks as a Glalie and an Aerodactyl clashed with each other, dueling it out.

These were not the only Pokemon in the gigantic area. A Pidgeot, a Unfezant, a Noctowl, and a Talonflame all were perched on a cliff near the top, chattering with each other. Up above them, two giant creatures simply watched the smaller Pokemon interacting on opposite cliffs; one was a rainbow-colored bird and the other was a winged white beast, both being Legendary Pokemon. The Lugia and Ho-Oh were on separate sides of the chasm, high above all other Pokemon. Near Ho-Oh, a long-beaked Fearow and a fierce Staraptor argued about Arceus knows what, as a Crobat eavesdropped curiously with one eye open underneath the stone cliff they were perched on. Occasionally, a Gliscor would glide by, cheerful and greeting the others, but most friendly with the Staraptor due to their time together, while also grinning at a Togekiss that would pass by here and there, blissful and praising any other Pokemon.

Only a few Pokemon were located by the massive waterfalls and the surprisingly calm pool that poured out from a wall on the eastern side. A Feraligatr dipped its body under water, where a Floatzel, a Kingler, a Gorebyss, a Lapras, a Pyukumuku, and a Manaphy were all floating around, swimming in a calm and relaxed manner and enjoying the perfect temperatures for swimming. Deep down in the crystal blue pool, a ferocious Gyarados and one beautiful Milotic were speeding across each other, seemingly dancing in their environment while a Crawdaunt watched from above on the shore, joined by a Scolipede and a Silvally. A Serperior took gentle sips of water while nodding along as an Arbok discussed previous adventures with its past Trainers, to which a Weezing joined the conversation, laughing at a particular memory it found hilarious. Up above, a Suicune stood on all fours, quietly thinking to itself while a Samurott carefully respected the Legendary creature, wondering what it was up to.

Thanks to the teamwork of Ash and his team, they had managed to create an underground forest that could provide them with food and supplies. The space was quite large, but the forest didn't take too much space, minus the grasslands that took at least one half of the cave. Plenty of Pokemon were occupying the forest and kept busy by either taking a nap or collecting a wide variety of berries on the trees and bushes, in which some of them were very rare and tropical. A Mew, a Celebi, a Rhyperior, a Sylveon, a Jirachi, and a Primarina all had small brown baskets, stored to the brim with many colorful fruits and vegetables. Watching them and assisting with its move-set was a Shaymin, nimbly strolling around and smiling. Nearby, a Venusaur and a Florges were keeping care of the flowers that were planted in a well-kept garden, with a Poliwrath, a Whimsicott, and a Roserade offering support. There was a giant oak tree that had many different branches and provided a generous sleeping space, where a massive Torterra rested, with a Pichu, a Jigglypuff, a Scrafty, a Slurpuff, and a Marshadow were close by, quietly playing and not trying to disturb the Grass-Type. Next to them, a Snorlax snored as it dreamed about delicious food, with a chilled out Sceptile hanging in the branches, gently chewing on a twig. An Accelgor dashed through the leaves of trees, testing its speed while an Absol remained on the ground, following it on all fours.

The grasslands had plenty of Pokemon scattered around, lingering and moving if they weren't talking, training, resting, or snacking. There was a magnificent Rapidash laying down and watching a stampeding Tauros race around, waking up and frightening a Bewear. A Bisharp sparred with a Zeraora as a Clefable hummed, walking near a hill along with a Manectric, a Blastoise, and a Incineroar, discussing the weather outside the cave. Wings flapping gently, a Butterfree circled in the air as a very shy Porygon-Z attempted to come up to it, only to back away as an overly excited Rotom zipped around the Bug-Type. An Umbreon sat with a Exploud and a Scizor, only to smile and greet a Flygon that landed next to the trio, joining the conversation and watching as a Heracross glanced at a Deoxys curiously, whispering a secret conversation. There was a Gengar chuckling together with a Leavanny, a Emboar, and a Ambipom who would clap with its tail-hands. Rolling around, a Donphan practiced its Rollout attack as a Gogoat munched on some grass, with a Dunsparce and a Wobbuffet wandering around the field, glancing over sometimes to see an Aegislash practice a few moves alongside a Heliolisk, a Naganadel, and a Houndoom.

In the training area that resembled a large gym, several Pokemon were notching up their skills, either doing solo practices or cooperating with others and providing advice and partners for sparring or work-outs. A Hitmonlee, a Meganium, a Lopunny, a Kommo-O, a Krookodile, a Stantler, and a Hawlucha were all doing their own exercises, increasing their strength in the forms they knew would help them achieve victory in a battle. A Cobalion bounced in a hand-made ring as it blocked and parried attacks from a Tapu Koko, cheered on by an interested and powerful Azelf. Lifting dumbbells was a Meowth, and while it couldn't lift too much weight, it had a unique skill in being able to speak English, chatting away with a Zoroark that leaned against a stone pillar, already finished with its training. A Spiritomb gave tips to a Sableye about improving some moves, to which it nodded and asked plenty of questions when it was unsure. Near the gym, a Salamence and a Garchomp sparred in fierce competition, neither side giving an inch or willing to waste an opportunity to strike. A Celesteela was also training in its own exercises including a Meloetta while a Vikavolt hovered around, trying to learn some strategies on how to get the upper hand against some of the Pokemon training below it.

Coming from the natural layout of the chasm and work done to make it a training ground, there was a rocky terrain part that was perfect for some Pokemon. In that area, there was also a small region for Ice-Types and a lava pool made especially for a certain Typhlosion, who remained meditating there for now, even as a Salazzle cuddled next to the Johto Starter. There were plenty of stones and huge rocks forming from the earth, which was perfect for the Gigalith that was roaming around in peace. A Lycanroc, a Metagross, a Tyrantrum, and an Aggron were discussing different battle tactics involving Rock-Type and Steel-Type moves, while a huge Tyranitar, much bigger than a normal one, roared mightily into the chasm, before slamming into a Buzzwole, fighting a friendly wrestling match. At the hot springs, a Volcanion monitored the steam and occasionally adjusted the temperature, not wanting to create too much heat. There was a Hippowdon that sunk into the sand around it, relaxing with a lone Mimikyu and allowing the sand to cover it. In the little area where snow was able to not melt, an Alolan Sandslash and a Alolan Ninetales built snowmen together, modelling some of them after certain Pokemon. An Aurorus happily walked next to an Avalugg, their steps making a path out of footprints in the soft snow, as a Glaceon shyly watched from a bush, its tail wagging lightly before it vanished under the bush, a Vanilluxe passing on by.

Unless one could see very far across the horizon, a giant door made of stone was open, a pathway leading from the woodlands that intertwined with the mountainous region of the chasm. There, the night sky revealed itself, some of the famous constellations shining down into this piece of the world. A distant, mighty roar could be heard, and the silhouette of a massive, long emerald dragon was flying through the air, along with a giant black dragon that had electrical sparks coming from its tail. Not just that, but an ominous dragon with tons of tendrils across its great body floated with it, a lack of legs on its bottom. The three dragons were a Zekrom, a Giratina, and a Rayquaza, all powerful Legendary Pokemon caught by Ash Ketchum. With the dragons, included outside were two other Legendaries that floated in the sky, those being a Victini and a Darkrai, swiftly zooming around and enjoying the open space.

However, there were a few Pokemon Ash's eyes laid upon that especially caught his interest. Involved in its own independent training was a dedicated Gallade, sweat dripping across its slender but strong figure as it continued practicing Psycho Cuts and Close Combats, a fierce amount of power radiating from it. Each attack was aimed at pieces of metal that Kingler helped Aggron and Gigalith mined, usually for training or building structures. With each move, the metal would shatter completely, looking as if the Blade Pokemon had cut through paper, not steel. Offering advice and somewhat giving praise was a Gardevoir, who was practicing its own moves on a separate line of metal shards, shooting off Moon Blasts or bending the steel with Psychic.

One member of the team was an Espeon that was currently talking to a graceful and wonderful Latias. Both of the Psychic-Types were extremely destructive on the battlefield, but they also offered Ash some comfort when it came to troubling issues. The Latias came from Altomare, and she used to defend the city until another protector was found, allowing her to find Ash in his time of struggle. The Espeon was a new member to his team, but due to the circumstances when they met, they quickly bonded and could work well together.

There was a Pokemon that knew the horrible pain of being abandoned and betrayed better than most in the chasm. Standing on top of the tallest, deadliest mountain of the world reminded Ash and the Pokemon he had caught in Sinnoh of the Region, with Mount Coronet seeming like a stepping stone compared to Mount Silver. Nevertheless, the desire for pride burned strongly inside of Infernape, never dying and always looking for some way to improve itself. This Pokemon had endured insults and comments on what it could do from others, calling it weak and pathetic, only for Infernape to rise up and show off the strength it contained.

Splashing swiftly and with very few able to detect it, a frog-like Pokemon hid away quietly in a small cave behind the waterfall, dry and silent. Out of all of Ash's Pokemon, the one creature who spent most of its time meditating and training privately here was probably one of his most powerful. Greninja had a special bond with the twenty-four-year-old, where in the heat of battle they could turn together into Ash-Greninja, their minds and souls connected. This mysterious ability made the two extremely close in a short period of time after he had evolved, and they only continued strengthening themselves when they reunited years after Ash left Kalos.

Fire, power, and the uncontrollable idea of revenge presented itself in another area of the cave that had a small volcano and hot magma oozing into a closed river. The space allowed something like this to be grand in size without taking up a majority of the area or lapping over other regions; but even if it wasn't the largest, the sight was where one of Ash's most ferocious Pokemon stood, proudly appearing as if it was a king looking down upon his kingdom. This Pokemon had an orange body, two giant wings, and a tail with a fire burning at the end of it, along with claws on its hands and feet that were fiercely sharp. Charizard always stood out from the others, as it had been side by side with Ash since Kanto and defeating some of the most powerful opponents in his adventures.

The Pokemon in this chasm kept him motivated and alive when he nearly collapsed entirely, the burden of his betrayal destroying him to the very core. If anything, despite their refusals to accept what he said, Ash owned every single Pokemon his life.

"I need you to do me a favor and get everybody to meet up, Pikachu," he said, directly talking to the yellow mouse.

" _You got it, Ash!"_ Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder quickly darted off to the middle of the chasm, bolts of electricity sparking out of his red cheeks. Finding a stone that gave a bit of elevation, he climbed it and yelled, " _HEY, EVERYBODY! WE GOTTA HAVE A MEETING!"_ To signal the announcement to those unable to hear, Pikachu closed his eyes, and with a yell of "Pi-ka-chu!" released a strong, massive Thunder into air, shining brightly from ice crystals and not hitting anybody.

The Thunder did the trick, as everyone saw Ash walking to Pikachu's location and followed at their own speeds. They had felt him come in through Aura connections or Psychic bonds the minute he stepped into the chasm, but the other Pokemon only came up to him when he had something important going on. For the most part, they respected Ash's privacy and came to him only out of very deep concern or for certain affairs. Three minutes passed by and more than one hundred Pokemon were collectively gathered around Ash, waiting for him to reveal his words.

With all eyes on Ash now, the young man cleared his throat and gave a bittersweet, evaluating his family and team. Despite everything the young man had to go through, dating all the way back to when he first turned ten and began his journey to being betrayed many years ago, Ash still had his Pokemon at his side. They were loyal to him and loved him, not just as a Trainer, but as a friend, a family member, and an equal.

Pikachu at his side, he said, "Alright, everybody, listen up. I want to do some quick reports and make a few things known to you all." He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling out and chuckled lightly. "First thing we need to have addressed is that Pikachu has made it clear to me that we're a bit low on some supplies. Don't worry, I got it all under control, and I'll have Victini go out in the near future and get everything for us."

Ash rested his hands inside his pockets, taking a second to remember what he wanted to say. "Oh, yeah. Meowth, next time you go fishing or berry collecting, you eat the food _after_ you collect them. We do not need a repeat of the Cheri Berry mess again." The team burst out laughing, knowing fully well what he meant, and made Meowth grumble slightly, muttering a "...Yeah, yeah. I remember, boss."

"Let's see here... Garchomp, your Dragon Rush is coming along quite well. Clefable, I'm seeing improved relations over that small dispute with Absol and Vanilluxe. Porygon-Z, as always, you're extremely shy, but I'm seeing some progress. Rayquaza, good job on breaking your record. Marshadow, the tips that Spiritomb has provided are really working well for you; keep that up." There were always comments that could be made about each and every Pokemon, but Ash made sure to keep it short for now.

"Gardevoir, I have no clue on what the hell is going on, but you need to kinda leave Gallade alone when he's trying to practice alone. I don't know if you two are in love or something, but seriously, I've seen this relationship distract you two when training," he said, which only caused the roars of laughter to erupt again, mostly from Exploud, Toucannon, Pidgeot, and Buzzwole, causing the two Psychic-Types to blush a deep red. Ash noticed this and made a note to himself, knowing full well that they weren't in one; the two tended to talk to him privately a lot and he was quite aware of certain things, especially for Gardevoir.

Fixing his composition, Ash chuckled a bit before coughing and getting everyone quiet. "All jokes aside, we're doing terrific so far. I'm seeing improvement on everybody's behalf, whether it be on battling or working together. You guys all know that's all I'm really looking for: respect, effort, and cooperation. Training sessions have been attended, sweat has been dropped, and while you guys do have time to relax, I do see progress and time being spent to sharpen yourselves to the best of your ability. Keep it up, guys." This small bit of encouragement and praise earned a mighty roar from all of the Pokemon, proud of the work they had put in.

Smiling, Ash folded his arms across his chest, standing up straight and with extreme courage burning in his eyes. "One last thing. Infernape and Sceptile, both of you are going to have a training session with me alone in one hour. For now, everyone, go have your dinners and rest for a little longer. Before tonight ends, I want five laps around the exterior and though the tunnels, and then swapping partners for battling. Suicune, you're in charge of monitoring it all." The Legendary replied with a howl, signifying that it understood. "Alright, get to it! Pikachu, you can go help Suicune out, and perhaps work with Gorebyss and Pyukumuku on getting us some fish from the river," the young man smiled, dismissing his partner as he responded with a salute and a " _Yes, sir!"_ before scattering off, leaving Ash to head to the private training room he had, preparing for his lesson.

* * *

Ash ran a hand through his raven locks, staring into the mirror and at the reflection of his face. He checked over his features, frowning at the stubble that formed around his chin, noting that he needed to shave soon.

" _Again, regardless of how powerful you have become, Ash, you and I both know that you have not recovered completely yet._ " The voice had returned inside of his head, even if the conversation had been abandoned two hours ago.

" _I am aware of that. However, I'm still not comfortable going out and seeking the other sources,"_ he responded.

 _"So, isolation on a scale where even I knew it was not acceptable is fine?"_

 _"DO I LOOK THAT BAD?!"_ The twenty-four-year old felt his body tense up, slowly growing frustrated.

The voice sighed inside of Ash's head, and, without any warning, a bipedal creature teleported into the room, psychic energy radiating from it. With a humanoid structure, it stood roughly a foot over the Trainer, with a defined chest and shoulder-plates carved on its lean figure. It appeared somewhat feline in certain aspects, including the long pink tail it had and the way its head was formed, occupied by two dark purple eyes. Both of the two arms the Pokemon had contained three rounded fingers, not useful for picking things up; it had Psychic powers to do that anyways. This was the first, original Mewtwo, _de facto_ owned by Ash and an essential guide who helped him with his quest of finding peace.

" _May I please have a word with you?_ "

"Now, before you go off on another psychological rant, allow me to say that yes, I am aware of all that fucking shit; 'physical strength doesn't mean mental' bullshit and the such, so spare me," the young man snapped, furious and angry. On most occasions, Ash tended to listen to Mewtwo and understand his advice, knowing that the Psychic-Type Pokemon was only there to help. Regardless, sometimes it just pissed him off and made him relent the creature, mostly during times of severe emotional attacks or intense training sessions. Hence, the entire day had been one for him; Ash really didn't need recommendations from him as he felt too stressed.

Mewtwo raised a brow, floating above him and carefully plotting out his words. " _I understand that your recent memories must have been driving you to_

" _I'm not angry with you, Ash. I'm concerned, and for good reason at that. You rescued me and taught me that emotions and humans were not genuinely evil. Some people maybe flawed and there are some who are evil and cruel, but you're not that. You're the Chosen One, the Savior of Arceus, the destined Pokemon Master. You were on the path to greatness and as much as He said he wanted to intervene, fate had its course and you were stripped of everything. You did nothing wrong, but because of all of this, you have become stronger than anyone in the history of the universe. You're not weak, but you do need to at least reconsider the Psyche and Aura and heal yourself."_

He nodded, wiping the tears away and taking a breath, his figure rising up and down. "I know."

With all said and done, Mewtwo glanced at Ash, smiling to himself, and teleported away to places unknown.

"Sweet Arceus..."

* * *

Sceptile and Infernape waited at the private field Ash used when doing one-on-ones or personal training, stretching out their limbs and planning out an attack plan. All of the Pokemon in his care were powerful enough to provide a challenge for each other, but some were recognized as top notch, including the two males here. While everyone did eventually get personal training, having it was a great honor to them.

" _So, you and me again, eh? I know we don't talk too much, Infernape, but I enjoy having you as a partner, whether we're together or against each other,_ " Sceptile said, testing out a brief Leaf Blade, his left arm glowing green.

Infernape laughed at that, giving the Grass-Type a fist bump. " _The same can be said about you, Scep. Respect is the greatest characteristic a fighter can have, regardless of their strength or abilities. Ash really made that clear to me when he brought me onto his team after Paul left me._ "

Nodding his head at that, Sceptile raised an amused brow at the Trainer who exited the locker room, shirtless and without any footwear. His figure resembled one of those old Greek statues of gods, or something that Michelangelo would have chiseled out of marble. Ash had muscle revealed all over him, having changed from jeans to shorts, legs built for running, arms made for fighting, and several scars across his back and chest. " _Something tells me that we're going to have a challenging session today, Infernape. Ash, just be prepared for us,"_ Sceptile smirked, pulling the twig out of his mouth and setting it onto the ground.

He heard what the Hoenn Starter said, frowning lightly while making his way to the battlefield. "Sceptile, don't be too cocky now. Last time you gave that bloody smirk, I handed you a solid defeat." Infernape howled with laughter, as Sceptile chuckled, glaring politely at his Master. "The same thing applies to your laugh, Infernape." That stopped the Fire-Type's laughs, gulping it down with seriousness.

"You know the rules by this point: both of you against me, fair strikes only, you can only use physical attacks, and no groin hits. Got it?" The two Pokemon grinned and agreed at the rules, shaking Ash's hand and getting in their battle poses. Taking a deep breath, the young man felt Aura flowing through his body, the turquoise waves of energy returning.

Without any warning whatsoever, Infernape and Sceptile lunged at him, a Night Slash and a Mach Punch coming towards Ash's face. Just as the attacks were about to violently crash into him, Ash had managed to duck underneath them, Aura filling his eyes as he slammed a glowing blue elbow into Infernape and tried to kick Sceptile's lower side, only to be countered with a slamming from his tail.

"What did I teach you guys? Always have a backup plan in case the attack doesn't work, and never just swing into a fight!" He grunted as he narrowly dodged a Dragon Tail from Sceptile and a Flare Blitz from Infernape.

Moving his hands out, Ash created a shield made out of Aura just as Infernape's body swirled around, Flare Blitz nearly colliding into him. Sceptile had managed to sneak up onto the Trainer, attacking with a Leaf Blade that slammed into Ash's bare shoulder, causing some pain. Regardless, thanks to the sheer amount of muscle on his figure, Ash took the hit and kept on fighting, his body the perfect balance of power and speed. Grabbing onto Sceptile's arm, he jumped up and used his legs to lock around the limb, pinning the Grass-Type onto the floor. That lock didn't last long, as Ash had to roll over to avoid Infernape coming out from the ground, using Dig to get underneath the human and freeing Sceptile.

"Alright you two, let's keep this going!"

The two Pokemon and the Trainer continued their session for another two hours, blow after blow being exchanged, impressing Ash at the power and tactics coming from both of his Pokemon. Infernape had him pinned down several times when it came to a parry of Mach Punches, which even his Aura Shields tended to crack and shatter from, while Sceptile used its speed to launch a sneaky Leaf Blade here and there.

Panting for air, the raven-haired man laughed, his diaphragm rising up and down. "You guys are performing much better. Infernape, I'm seeing your reflexes and countering strategies improve. Sceptile, you're maintaining speed but also upping the power in your attacks. Keep practicing, but you're extremely powerful so far." The two Pokemon nodded and thanked him, before heading out, high-fiving each other.

* * *

After the intense training session with Sceptile and Infernape, Ash finally got into the spa he was dying to bathe in. The water remained at a perfect heat, not too hot and not at all cold like outside. He slipped off his pants and underwear, fully nude, and sighed contently, the water reaching up to his chest.

That was, until his mind began drifting to the events from eight years ago, causing another reflection of his life.

 **FLASHBACK**

 _Ash had just gotten back from Alola in defeat, losing the League and coming back without another trophy yet again. Sure, he made great friends with Lycanroc, Decidueye, Primarina, Naganadel, Incineroar, Rotom, and Mimikyu, along with discovering the beauty of the Alolan Region and becoming stronger in his quest to become an amazing Pokemon Master, but it still disappointed him. The despair only lasted briefly, as the sixteen-year-old was excited to head back home to Pallet Town and see his mother and all of his old Pokemon at Oak's Laboratory._

 _Taking a plane from Hau'oli City to Vermilion City, he had thanked Professor Kukui for everything and said farewell to his fellow classmates, before flying for hours to Kanto. The flight itself gave him time to sleep and reflect on his Alolan trip, to which he considered a success._

 _Landing at the familiar city, Ash grinned at Pikachu, sitting on his shoulder like always. "You excited to see Mom, Pikachu? I'm sure she made all of our favorite dishes!"_

 _"Pika Pi!"_

 _"That's the spirit, buddy! I'm starving and I can't wait to see everybody!" Ash laughed with his best friend, grabbing his backpack and heading out of the city's airport, glancing around. He took a deep breath in, inhaling the air around him and feeling blessed to be back home. The duo plotted their hike-with thanks from Rotom's map in the PokeDex-and figured out that they would arrive at Pallet by five; already, it was two o'clock in the afternoon, with people busy for lunch, Pidgey and Rattata searching for dropped food under tables._

 _He strolled through the city, passing by familiar sites and scenes, smiling the entire time. The young Trainer didn't take too long to exit most of the metro area, and he had snacks that were consumed with Pikachu as they walked, occasionally talking to each other about memories. Eventually, Ash found himself going down Route One, bringing back the sense of nostalgia from his first day as a Pokemon Trainer._

 _"Man, time really has done wonders to this place," he said, standing quietly on a green hill, the sky and world stretching out in front of him. Although Pallet Town technically was where it started, Route One was where Ash and Pikachu became friends. The river where Misty had fished him out was as clean as the day six years ago, the Route having plenty of Pokemon such as Spearow, Pidgey, Rattata, Magikarp, Caterpie, and Weedle in the trees and filling the tall grass._

 _"Remember when we saw Ho-Oh together?" Ash asked his partner, glancing up at the bright blue sky. Pikachu nodded with a "Chuuu," the day stuck in his memory forever. The yellow mouse initially hated being owned by the boy, but with the craziness that involved a flock of Spearow chasing the two down and being thrown into the river, he had formed a bond with Ash that never broke. "Pikachu Pika Pi Pika."_

 _Ash smiled in response, the hat on his head feeling heavy for the moment as he tipped it down. "One day, Pikachu. One day, we will win the League, beat the Elite Four, and defeat a Champion, and when that day comes, we'll be together like always. I know that I'm destined to become a Pokemon Master."_

 _The Electric-Type cheered happily, raising its fist in the air and supporting his Trainer. Seven Leagues hadn't made Ash turn into a Master yet, but Pikachu knew that it was in his blood to become one._

 _"Now, come on! I don't want Mom's cooking to get cold on us!" With Pikachu holding on tighter, the two ran across the dirt path, the winds breezing through Ash's hair. Pallet Town was only minutes away according to Rotom, and with every step, he could feel his heart beating a bit faster, excitement burning in his body._

 _Minutes later, they had reached the hill overlooking the small town, covered with many flowerbeds and white picket-fenced houses, surrounded by forests at several of the corners and a river flowing through the hills. The blue sky was beginning to dim a bit as the sun lowered itself, creating a masterpiece of art in the sky. To Ash, this was his home: he was born here, he grew up here, learned here, lived here, and most importantly to the aspiring young man, he began his journey here._

 _Stretching out his arms and legs, the boy grinned cockily to his friend as they laughed, finally at their destination. Knowing fully well how great life was and that they should use the best of it, Ash and Pikachu sprinted down the hill, accelerating from the gravitational pull as the hill got higher behind their path. The road continued to go straight, but there were plenty of crossroads as well, including smaller paths that stemmed to the entrances of houses and gardens owned by some of his neighbors. He still could not get over the fact that here they were again, finished with another adventure that took them to a Region located thousands of miles away._

 _In the span of two adrenaline-fueled minutes of happiness, the duo had ran across most of Pallet Town and all the way to the backside of a simple, basic house with two floors and a garden that won every annual flower festival. Treating the plants with careful hands was a young woman named Delia Ketchum, Ash's mother.  
_

 _"Mom! We're back!" "Pika Pi!" The two laughed as they jumped over the garden gate, only to be enveloped into a bone-crushing hug by Delia, where her garden was tended by a busy Mr. Mime, not wanting to keep the daisies too unclean._

 _Smiling happily and releasing her son and Pikachu, the taller woman looked down at her son and his Pokemon, glad that he was home in one piece and safe. "Oh, Ash, it is so great to see you again! Along with you too, Pikachu! Both of you look so tanned and healthy from your trip; speaking of which, young man, I assume you have been brushing your teeth, eating well, and changing your under-"_

 _"Yes, Mom! You don't need to keep reminding me," Ash sweatdropped, slightly embarrassed from her motherly antics. She giggled at her son's response, scratching Pikachu's ears._

 _"I know how much you want to go see all of your Pokemon at Professor Oak's Lab, so I won't keep you waiting any longer. Plus, there's a huge surprise over there for your accomplishments in Alola!"_

 _Ash's eyes widened as the thought of seeing everyone again reignited his excitement. "That's right! Pikachu, we gotta get over there right away and introduce everybody to our new team!" Pikachu agreed with a cheer, getting back onto the boy's shoulder and jumping over the gate for the second time. "I promise we won't take too long, Mom! We'll be back in time for dinner!" With that, the two rushed off, heading north to the ranch._

 _Delia hummed as her son darted away from the house, happy that he was back home again. She saw her son as the world, knowing she would be more than alright to sacrifice some time to see him laugh and reunite with all of his friends. "I swear, Ashie will never outgrow his excitement these days," she smiled, taking off her gardening gloves and heading into the house, ready to finish up the feast she prepared for him._

* * *

 _It didn't take too long for Ash and Pikachu to reach the front door of Oak's Laboratory, eager to welcome his Alolan Pokemon to the rest of his team. Knocking and burning with excitement, the door opened up and the duo were surprised with a Muk hugging both of them, its slimy and stinky body covering them. "Muk Muuuk!"_

 _"I missed you too, Muk, but please get off me!" Ash yelped, returning the embrace but desperately trying to escape its grasp._

 _"Not again, Muk! You can't go around jumping onto all of my visitors!" Sliding off of the Trainer, the Poison-Type moved next to an old man with grey hair, but eyes still full of youth and passion for work. "Ash, my boy! How are you doing?" He laughed, clapping the young boy on the shoulder and ushering him inside._

 _Ash grinned up at Professor Oak, his long-time mentor and teacher. "I'm doing awesome, Professor! Pikachu and I just got back from Alola and we caught up with my Mom! We came over here to see all of my Pokemon, and because apparently there's a surprise for me?"_

 _Oak nodded, bringing the sixteen-year-old down the hallway and near the backdoor. "Indeed! Your mother planned it all out, so thank her when you head back home. For now, go enjoy yourself on the ranch! Charizard is back from the Valley and Squirtle is spending some time here!"_

 _"Will do, Professor Oak!" "Pikachu!" Heading outside with Muk following them, the two laughed as they walked onto the grass, searching with amazed eyes at the wide expanse of land, miles upon miles owned by the researcher with tons of Pokemon roaming around. Pulling out his Poke Balls, Ash yelled, "Come on out, everyone, and say hello to the Kanto Region!" Soaring into the air, each capsule clicked open and out burst Ash's Decidueye, Rotom, Lycanroc, Incineroar, Naganadel, Mimikyu, and Primarina, cheerful and glancing around, only to watch curiously as a Bulbasaur ran up to Ash, yelling and tackling their Trainer to the ground. "Hey there, Bulbasaur!" He laughed, hugging the Grass-Type and settling him back on the grass, happy to see his old friend again as Pikachu caught up with him._

 _Seeing the Alolan Pokemon, Bulbasaur realized that they belonged to his Trainer, so he introduced himself, before firing off a Solar Beam into the sky, dazzling with sparkles. A few seconds later, a slight rumbling could be heard as tons of Pokemon dashed to where Bulbasaur was, knowing that their Trainer was back. "HEY EVERYBODY!" Ash yelled, before getting trampled with hugs as his Charizard, Squirtle, Kingler, Snorlax, Tauros, Bayleef, Noctowl, Totodile, Quilava, Heracross, Donphan, Sceptile, Swellow, Corphish, Torkoal, Glalie, Torterra, Infernape, Staraptor, Gible, Gliscor, Buizel, Oshawott, Snivy, Pignite, Leavanny, Unfezant, Boldore, Krookodile, Palpitoad, Scraggy, Hawlucha, Noivern, and Talonflame surrounded him, surprised and joyful for his return._

 _"It's so great to see you all! You guys look awesome!" Managing to stand up after getting Scraggy and Bayleef off of him, the sixteen-year-old grinned, nothing but love and happiness filling his heart and soul. To Ash, life was absolutely wonderful and nothing could bring him down, even if he lost another League. "Pikachu and I made some new friends in Alola. Meet Decidueye, Rotom, Lycanroc, Incineroar, Primarina, Mimikyu, and Naganadel!" His Alolan team gave a cheer of introductions, returned with greetings from the others._

 _Solely focused on his Pokemon, Ash jumped up when a feminine voice said, "Your friends were right; you do have a lot of Pokemon!"_

 _Quickly turning his head, his hazel eyes widened in surprise as he was greeted with the slightly pink face and blue eyes of Serena Yvonne, smiling at him. "Serena!" He ran over and hugged the girl, grinning and wondering why she was here. "What are you doing in Kanto? Don't get me wrong, it's great to see you again, but I'm genuinely shocked!"_

 _"Somethings never do change, Ash." A different voice now spoke, and it resulted in Ash's grin only increasing, as he glanced in the direction it came from. There, standing with a giant banner that read 'Welcome Home, Ash,' was Brock Harrison, Misty Waterflower, May and Max Maple, Gary Oak, Tracey Sketchit, Dawn Berlitz, Iris Ariusu, Bonnie Ferrand, Clemont Ferrand, and Cilan Ramsay, the greatest friends Ash could have ever asked for._

 _Ash ran up to them, launching himself into a group hug and feeling grateful for his friends. "Guys, you didn't all have to come over here! Really, thank you for this!"_

 _"You're welcome, Ash! You deserve this more than anybody!" Misty replied._

 _"Hey, Ash! Do you think we could battle sometime? Piplup really wants to see Pikachu and Gible again!" Dawn chirped up, smiling brightly._

 _"I second that, Dawn," Cilan added, fixing his bow-tie._

 _"Guys, I wanna hang out with all of you, but it is getting kinda late," Ash said, pointing up to the sky. Indeed, the afternoon was becoming darker, and a few stars were slowly popping out, revealing themselves. "Besides, Mom's making dinner and I know that there's enough for everybody here!"_

 _The group agreed, some getting quite hungry. "Ash, we regret this, but me and Tracey gotta stay back and help the Professor with some work! Tell your mother we said thank you however!" Gary grinned, fist-bumping his former rival._

 _"Whatever flows your boat, Gary! Come on guys!" With that, Pikachu, Charizard, Ash, and their friends made their way down from the ranch to Ash's house, catching up along the way._

* * *

 _Dinner had been served and Ash and his friends had been enjoying a wonderful meal prepared by Delia. There was a huge smoked turkey, tons of fish, vegetables, a wonderful fruit platter with mangoes and watermelon, dishes of mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, stuffing, cheeses and crackers, sushi, and so much more. After the meal, Ash's mother asked to speak with him outside privately._ _Walking with Delia outside, Ash smiled as he saw Charizard sitting on the ground with Pikachu, careful to not ruin any of the flowers. "So, what do you need to talk about, Mom?"_

 _The young woman sighed, taking a deep breath and exhaling. She had been meaning to tell her son about this for so long, but she never really knew when the time was appropriate to reveal it. "Ash, what do you know about your father?"_

 _The boy stopped smiling and stared with curious and desperate eyes. For years, his mother would tell him about his father, how he was an amazing Pokemon Trainer, and how he currently was on his own Pokemon journey. "Well, all I really know is-" Ash was interrupted when a loud thud was heard, and turning around, stared at a black and blue Charizard, landing onto the garden and right onto the flowerbed. Riding on top of the Pokemon sat a masked man, his face covered as a blue and black jacket covered his body._

 _"I'm sorry, Mrs. Ketchum, but I'm afraid I have to interrupt this little conversation of yours for more important matters, involving your fucking pathetic son," the man spoke, a harsh, terrible voice emitting behind the mask._

 _Ash was just about to defend himself right there, but Delia stepped in before he could, frowning at the stranger with furious eyes. "You do not speak about my son that way! He is an amazing, fantastic Pokemon Trainer! And how dare you come onto my property and ruin my flowers without my permission!" She yelled, shaking her fist angrily at the man. Pikachu stood on all fours, sparks flying from his cheeks and Charizard glared at his counterpart, snorting flames from his nostrils, revved up._

 _The stranger jumped off his Pokemon and approached the woman, silent as he strode forth. Then, he backhanded Delia, watching her fall onto the ground. "I never gave you permission to speak, bitch." That was when Pikachu fired off a Thunderbolt, causing the guy to yell in pain._

 _"HEY! NO ONE CALLS MY MOM A BITCH!" Ash threw himself at the man, slamming his fist into the mask. He regretted that, as the material hurt his hand, but it apparently crushed it, shattering into the man's right eyes. Grabbing his eye in agony, the stranger glared at Ash and with the blink of an eye, his knee connected with Ash, shattering his nose instantly._

 _Pikachu and Charizard lunged towards, only to be stopped, lifted into the air and stuck in place. The stranger had sent out a Metagross, using its Psychic abilities to hold the Pokemon in place. Without any distractions, he kicked Ash in the ribs, watching the kid fall onto his stomach, groaning._

 _"Ash Ketchum. You're just as weak as the time we battled. But you won't be weak any longer, after I get rid of you once and for all. Metagross!" The Steel/Psychic-Type slammed Ash's Pokemon into the ground, before being returned into its Poke Ball. The man walked up to his Charizard and hopped on, rising into the sky and staring down at the boy. "Tonight, Ash Ketchum, you die!" With a giant roar, the Mega Charizard huffed air, before a massive ball of fire was launched, rocketing towards Ash._

 _"NO!"_

 _Ash had closed his eyes, expecting the worst to come. What he didn't predict was to be pushed, and as he glanced to his left, his heart dropped in pain, just as Pikachu and Charizard were getting back up._

 _His life was spared because his mother sacrificed herself for him._

 _His mother._

 _Dead._

 _Everything in his body was working up and he felt his world shatter around him, the only family member he knew now gone and burning in front of him, skin turning to charcoal as she burned. Tears were flooding from his eyes as he scrambled towards the corpse, backing away when the flames threatened him as well. Oh Arceus. The pain from the man's beating hurt and stung, but it didn't compare to this. Nothing did._

 _"Huh. How absolutely fucking pathetic. Your bitch of a mother can't even save herself, nevertheless expect her son to save her. What a shame you are to your-"_

 _Charizard unleashed the mightiest, angriest roar it had, firing a massive Fire Blast at the mysterious stranger's Mega Charizard and causing the murderers to drop from the sky. The Mega Charizard got up, furious, but was met with Pikachu slamming into it with Volt Tackle. Charizard saw an opportunity, and was just about to lash out at the stranger, claws aimed to kill, when it was halted, and slammed into the ground by the opposing Fire-Type._

 _"Your Pokemon are useless, you bastard. I'll settle with this for now, Ketchum." And he was gone, somehow teleporting out of the area._

 _Silently, Ash hadn't moved since his eyes rested upon his mother burning, staying by her burned corpse. The winds had managed to make her stop burning, but he couldn't touch her, out of dignity and from the heat her body emitted. Every tear that dripped down sizzled and evaporated when it touched the corpse, all from the intense heat. No, he couldn't believe all of this had just happened, and his mind was failing to calm down. Ash felt his mind and body freak out, as he yelled into the night, breaking down._

 _"Ash?! Are you alri-DEAR ARCEUS!" The backdoor of the Ketchum residence slammed open and Ash's friends poured out, watching the sixteen-year-old sob, his tears flooding onto the burned remains of what was once his mother. His Charizard and Pikachu were by his side, their own tears breaking out as they watched their Trainer shattered. None of them could move for a moment, standing in shock as orange and blue flames riddled the garden, killing flowers instantly and lighting up in the night._

 _Taking the first step, Brock gulped, unsure of what to say or do. "Ash... What... What did you do?"_

 _"B-Brock, s-she w-w-was k-k-killed..." Ash broke down, his breathes becoming shallow and panting, the last couple of minutes running back in his head and shaking him to the core. He glanced up at his friend with bloodshot eyes, only to shiver at the look appearing on Brock's face. "T-There was another m-man... with a C-Charizard..."_

 _The words muttered next tore Ash into pieces, creating more pain than he thought was possible._

 _"Ash... I always knew you were a good guy... But do you seriously expect me to believe that?"_

 _"W-What?!"_

 _Pikachu and Charizard were shocked beyond belief. Did Brock really just say that? Ash's eyes looked up and saw the expressions on all of them, terrifying him. Standing on his legs, blood and cuts all over his body, he shook his head. "Guys... I'm being serio-"_

 _"Cut the shit, Ash!" He felt a harsh smack felt across his face as Iris glared at him, tears in her eyes. "How could you do that to your own mother?!"_

 _Dawn was crying now, her beanie falling off her blue hair. "Ash... Why would you do this? Why, Ash? Why?!"_

 _"I didn't-"_

 _Max interrupted the man, glancing up at him with serious eyes. "I looked up to you. But now, I see the real monster you've been hiding from all of us!"_

 _"You're no better than Team Rocket, you asshole!" May yelled at him, which nearly caused Pikachu to attack, if it wasn't for Ash's difficult ability to stop him._

 _"Bonnie, get away from him! How could we have known that you weren't plotting to kill us, you fucking freak?!" Clemont was fuming, pushing Bonnie behind him, fists shaking with rage._

 _"Are you guys k-kidding me?! I DIDN'T FUCKING KILL HER!" Ash yelled back, with Charizard and Pikachu responding in their language._

 _Cilan sighed, uncomfortable with the situation. "Ash... As a detective, I sadly cannot find anything to support your cause. It saddens me that it comes down to this."_

 _"Ash, after all these years of training with you, traveling with you, and knowing you, I just can't understand why you would snap like that. Your mother did everything for you and supported you everyday. How dare you!" Misty glared, ready to grab her mallet out."_

 _"Why? Why would you do that? I know you're upset that you didn't win a League yet, but are you fucking serious?" Brock had a look of disappointment on his face, not resting at all._

 _"Guys, I DIDN'T DO THIS! SOMEBODY KILLED HER WITH A CHARIZARD!" Ash was sobbing at this point, as Serena slowly came up, devastated more than any of the others. His eyes found hers and it hit him hard, his stomach nearly giving in. "Oh, Arceus... Arceus, no... Arceus... Please, Serena, please..."_

 _Choking on her tears, the honey-blonde girl glanced from his friends to Ash, to the body of Delia Ketchum. It was too much for all of them. She stared at the boy, the boy she had loved, the one she kissed, the one who taught her everything. "I-I loved you! I actually loved you, Ash! But, I can't do this! You killed your own mother! I'm sorry!"_

 _Shattering his heart into millions of unlimited pieces, silence filled the garden as the hateful, unbelieving stares of his friends stabbed through Ash, no one pitying him. Years of traveling with him, years of seeing him save the world again and again, years of talking and laughing, years of experiences, and they didn't believe he was innocent. Too many things were going on, and Ash just wanted to leave. Pikachu and Charizard stood by their Trainer; they had seen the entire incident and as they pleaded with them, their cries were met with deaf ears._

 _"I'm sorry, Ash. I really am." Brock unleashed his Steelix, which was followed by a Delphox, a Starmie, a Luxray, a Blaziken, a Dragonite, and a Pansage._

 _Then, they attacked._

* * *

 _He thought that he was going to die, but miraculously, Charizard had stepped up and stopped every attack with his Flamethrower, covering Ash from any potential harm. Pikachu stood under him in support, trying to keep him steady and helping him get onto the Fire-Type._

 _Flying on Charizard's back, Ash knew it was reckless and he had barely anytime to escape, but he had to do it; he had to get away. They would catch up with him within minutes, if he was lucky enough to keep himself disguised in the clouds of the night. Crashing down onto one of the fields with worried cries and looks coming from his Pokemon, the pain began working up and stinging, his right leg aching with pain every time he took a single step. But that didn't stop him, as he crashed through Oak's backdoor, startling the old man._

 _"ASH?! What the hell is going-" Gary had rushed down from his small office accompanied with Tracey, alarmed at the sudden outcry from his grandfather._

 _"Pro-Professor... I can't speak much, but I need you to listen to me. L... Look... Somebody killed m-m-my mom," he cringed, pain roaring through his right thigh. "I need you to..." Not being able to finish, Ash collapsed onto the floor, Pikachu crying out in fear as Charizard roared outside, bringing his Pokemon together. Suddenly, a portal opened and out came a bipedal creature, the powerful Mewtwo. Oak had met this creature before and gulped, sweat beading down his brow as he glanced up at it._

 _"Professor Oak, allow me to intervene please. You KNOW who I am, even if Ash is not aware that we've met before. There was a disturbance in my psyche, and through that, I felt the immense pain that Ash here was feeling. I regret not being able to detect it earlier, and I'm sorry." Closing its eyes and looking down, the Pokemon returned its sight to the old man, power radiating from its body. "He's innocent. I saw the entire event through his eyes and mind, and the world is going to believe that he did it. I repeat, Ash Ketchum is completely and entirely innocent, I swear. But we cannot allow him to stay here or be arrested; Professor, I know this and I believe you know this, but considering Ash's history and his accomplishments, do you really believe that he would kill his own mother, lie about an unknown stranger performing the murder, and allow himself to be put into prison?"_

 _He knew the answer to that, and without any hesitation, Gary, Tracey, and the Professor all said simultaneously, "Absolutely not." Clearing his throat, Professor Oak swiftly went to the windows, tearing off the curtains and gasping at the fire burning at Ash's house, only to be extinguished by Misty's Starmie. "I-I c-c-can't believe this, Ash... I really, really am sorry." Helping the young man onto the couch, frowning and panicking internally, stressed out already. "Gary, Tracey, there's no time to waste. Get all of his Poke Balls, get outside, and get every Pokemon. NOW!" The teenagers nodded, rushing off with their mission, as Mewtwo watched the elderly man speak to the Trainer._

 _"Ash, I want you to listen to me. Normally, I would never, ever allow anyone to do this, but this is an emergency. Are you aware of the location and stories about Mount Silver?" Nodding gently, the Professor murmured to himself, Gary coming back while Tracey managed to return his Pokemon. Oak pulled out a key and threw it to his grandson, giving him a hand gesture. "This mountain is restricted to only people who were approved by an unanimous vote from the League and me. I'm telling you this: get to Mount Silver with your Pokemon, get to the Pokemon Center there, and follow every damned instruction that Mewtwo gives you. Understand?"_

 _Coughing a bit, Ash gave a thumbs up. Mewtwo teleported out of the laboratory, only to come back within seconds with most of Ash's possessions, including his clothes, Badges, trophies, photographs, and other items. "H-Hey, thank you, P-Professor. I... This might be the last time I see you guys again. I don't..." Ash sighed, tears flooding down his face from the crisis, unable to comprehend everything all at once._

 _"You're welcome, Ash. I believe in you, my boy. I am terribly ashamed that this has happened and I will do everything in my power to defend you. Everything. When the authorities come, I'll tell them I have no clue where you are and I'll erase your records. For now, get to Mount Silver and hide, son. Maybe one day we will meet up again," Samuel said, sniffling as he felt his own tears beginning to come. Tracey came in with the Poke Balls, and with Pikachu on Ash's shoulder, both Tracey and Gary gave farewells to their mutual friend._

 _Police sirens were beginning to wail throughout Pallet Town and close to Oak's Lab, signalling that time was running out. With the face of a person who was stripped of everything, Ash Ketchum and Pikachu had faded away with Mewtwo, leaving only a hat behind, to which was later burned deep in the Pallet Forest, used as a distraction._

 _Ash Ketchum was dead. Long live, Red Kaiser._

 **FLASHBACK OVER**

Shivering as his flashback ended, one of Ash's hands gently brushed the tears flowing underneath his hazel eyes, a wide array of feelings stirring inside of him. At sixteen, he had lost his mother, who was killed by a man he didn't know and couldn't stop, betrayed by his greatest friends, wrongly accused of murder and seen as a threat, and forced to leave his loved home behind and live in isolation.

He could have gone on sobbing for the rest of the night, but something inside of him snapped like it did on that day, love dying out from his heart and replaced with solitude and apathy, his mind not as cheerful as it was with others, and an undying thirst for revenge and the test of making himself the strongest Pokemon Master and human being in the entire world. Since that dreadful day eight years ago, Ash Ketchum had died to the public and was replaced with Red Kaiser, only being found among his own Pokemon and a handful of people who knew that he was still alive and well.

 _The world that Ash had known betrayed him and crumbled in on him, killing off the aspiring Trainer known as Ash Ketchum._

Nine Pokemon watched him with sad expressions, hating to see their friend in such pain. Pikachu, Charizard, Greninja, Espeon, Latias, Togekiss, Infernape, Meowth, and Lucario all felt empathetic for the Trainer; each of them had gone through their own betrayals and pain in one form or another, so they could understand why Ash still hadn't recovered yet from all of this.

"...He's goin' through one of dos phases, eh? I don't like the looks of dis," Meowth whispered, shaking his head sadly and glancing at the floor.

" _Mewtwo's training is working; Ash is stronger than me, but this broke him down, Meowth,"_ Charizard grunted, its fist trembling with rage. Oh, how the Fire-Type would love to pummel those who betrayed his Master and kill the Pokemon that killed his mother.

Espeon flicked her tail in slight annoyance, not too fond of the idea of talking about Ash behind his back. " _It's his business, you two. Speaking of which, Lucario, you usually respect his privacy to the greatest extent. Why are you here?_ "

The Aura Pokemon sighed, leaning against one the walls. _"Loyal to the end, as you're all aware, is my life motto. I swore respect and allegiance to him even back in Sinnoh when I was guided by the Pokemon Rangers. I owe Ash everything along with being his Aura partner, and as much as I hate doing this, I must admit I sympathize with his past experiences. I try but... Not everything about the relationship has to be training only."_

 _"I think we can all respect that."_

 _"Not only do I agree with Espeon, but I understand Lucario in a somewhat similar sense,"_ Greninja replied, hanging from the ceiling and making Togekiss smile, as she loved his ninja tricks. " _While we're not connected via Aura, and while we all have the connections with him, our states of mind still allows us to transfer energy and become Ash-Greninja in our training sessions. And while all of us do have our personal moments with him and know the whole story, would it be fair to say that the nine of us know him the best?"_

 _"Well, what about Meowth?"_ Latias chirped up, not wanting to get too strayed off from their concern for Ash, but also somewhat interested in the conversation.

"Whata 'bout me?" The cat Pokemon raised a brow, their voices starting to become louder.

 _"Hey, stop it! Shut up, all of you!"_ Pikachu rarely spoke like that, usually only when a crisis was going on. However, the yellow mouse did not need to have them just chatting away when they all clearly came to his location for a specific reason.

" _Sorry, Pikachu."_ "Yeah, sorry."

He sighed, Togekiss patting his small head. " _Thank you. Sorry for snapping at you guys. Look, obviously Ash is gonna be pissed if we all just interrupt and go in there, so let me go. Is that alright?"_

There was no objection to that, and the nine Pokemon agreed to allow Pikachu to talk with their Master.

Pikachu decided to end the conversation and rushed up to Ash, concern filling his eyes. There were times when the young man had refused to speak, sometimes aloud and only through telekinesis, sometimes all together. For about three months after the incident, he hadn't spoken to anyone while on Mount Silver, but the one individual he did open up to eventually was Pikachu, mostly for their strong bond and because the Electric-Type had seen it all happen to him while being at his side.

" _Ash, are you thinking about that person again?_ "

" _She_ , Pikachu. The person is a she."

* * *

 **You guys have no idea how excited I am for the future of this story! I have plenty of plans for Ash and his future, so buckle up and prepare for an epic ride!**

 **I want to thank all of the support I have been receiving for the first chapter. Already, this story has nearly three hundred views and twenty users have favorited it and I've gotten some good reviews so far! As I have mentioned in Chapter One, the length of each chapter will vary along with the update times, as I have a bit on my plate in my personal life, including school and work. I would also like to request that all reviews be carefully thought about and I do enjoy constructive criticism; detailing, story flow, or word choice is a big one for me, and I may have a few grammar mistakes here and there. But, please, do refrain from flaming my story. For the most part, the first three chapters will** **mostly** **be introductions to this version of the Pokemon World, but there are many flashbacks and memories throughout the story as we carry on and watch Ash's character develop and change.**

 **Just in case it should be mentioned, here are the genders for all of Ash's Pokemon.**

 **Male: Aerodactyl, Aegislash, Avalugg, Blastoise, Bisharp, Butterfree, Charizard, Crobat, Crawdaunt, Decidueye, Donphan, Emboar, Exploud, Feraligatr, Flygon, Floatzel, Greninja, Gallade, Gengar, Glalie, Gyarados, Garchomp, Gliscor, Goodra, Gigalith, Glaceon, Hawlucha, Heracross, Hitmonlee, Hippowdon, Infernape, Kommo-O, Krookodile, Leavanny, Lucario, Lycanroc (Dusk),** **Meowth, Manectric, Mantine, Noctowl, Noivern, Pikachu, Poliwrath, Primeape, Rhyperior, Staraptor, Snorlax, Sceptile, Silvally, Seismitoad, Stantler, Samurott, Swellow, Scrafty, Sandslash (Alolan), Toucannon, Typhlosion, Tauros, Tyrantrum, Torterra, Umbreon, Venusaur, Vikavolt, Vanilluxe, Weezing, Wobbuffet**

 **Female: Absol, Ambipom, Accelgor, Aurorus, Arbok, Aggron, Bewear, Clefable, Dunsparce, Espeon, Florges, Froslass, Fearow, Gardevoir, Gorebyss, Gogoat, Houndoom, Heliolisk, Incineroar, Jigglypuff, Kingler, Lopunny, Luxray, Latias, Lapras, Meganium, Mimikyu, Muk, Milotic, Ninetales (Alolan), Pidgeot, Pyukumuku, Pichu, Primarina, Rapidash, Roserade, Scolipede, Salazzle, Serperior, Salamence, Sylveon, Slurpuff, Scizor, Sableye, Talonflame, Tyranitar, Togekiss, Unfezant, Whimsicott, Zoroark**

 **Unknown: Azelf, Buzzwole, Celebi, Cobalion, Celesteela, Darkrai, Deoxys, Giratina, Ho-Oh, Jirachi, Lugia, Marshadow, Manaphy, Mew, Mewtwo, Meloetta, Metagross, Naganadel, Porygon-Z, Rayquaza, Rotom, Suicune, Shaymin, Tapu Koko, Volcanion, Victini, Zekrom, Zeraora**

 **Stay tuned, and thank you once more for all of the support and praise! Signing off,**

 **LaneFlames**


End file.
